Yes, people who make sacrifices for others are heroes. So are entertainers who battle through their addiction to lift our spirits out of the darkness they see in their own lives. McEnroe celebrated them for, in Thomas McGuane's words, not looking life "straight in the eye" but "askance and it all shines on."

That's brilliant. McEnroe's amazing range of knowledge of the arts (and politics) enables him to weave a tapestry of images and references that captures the essence of his subject.

It also enables him to expose Rush Limbaugh's hypocrisy for saying substance abuse is a leftist political act. To suggest that McEnroe's "attempt to write a thoughtful piece dissolves into another pulpit for his agenda," as Mr. Simms does, dismisses his pathos and genuine grief while exonerating cynical right-wing point scoring.

Thank you, Colin. You are a gem, and my hero.

Harald Sandstrom, BloomfieldThe writer is an emeritus professor of politics and government at the University of Hartford.